Les Miles Would Be Taking a Big Chance Welcoming Tyrann Mathieu Back to LSU

All was quiet on the Tyrann Mathieu front ever since LSU kicked off its season opener vs. North Texas.

Until Tuesday.

Speaking on the Scott Van Pelt Show (5:53 mark) on ESPN Radio, LSU head coach Les Miles addressed Mathieu's progress since he left the team in August after violating team rules.

Said Miles:

I think that there's a very legitimate chance that he would have a happy ending. The point of degree and the point of handling your business and making sure that everything is right and correct and getting your feet on the ground is a tremendously happy ending.

There might not be much to it, and Miles could be referring to Mathieu's decision to re-enroll at LSU and work on his degree. Or, he could be laying the PR groundwork towards a return of Mathieu in 2013.

If Mathieu were to be welcomed back, several key administrators would have some explaining to do, starting with Miles and athletics director Joe Alleva (via Glenn Guilbeau of Gannett Louisiana in August).

MORE JOE ALLEVA ON TYRANN MATHIEU'S PERMANENT DISMISSAL: "At LSU, his opportunity is taken away for good."

Because of the hard stance taken when the dismissal was announced, Miles would be taking a huge chance letting him back on the team.

Are you comfortable if LSU welcomes Tyrann Mathieu back after previously saying his dismissal was "permanent"?

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Are you comfortable if LSU welcomes Tyrann Mathieu back after previously saying his dismissal was "permanent"?

Yes

68.1%

No

31.9%

Total votes: 827

Mathieu has made all of the right decisions since being dismissed, but who's to say that he wouldn't fall back into the same rut once he's put back into the same situation he was in when he got into trouble?

We hope that's not the case and Mathieu's issues are behind him, but still.

This wouldn't be a second chance. It would be a third or fourth chance. That, coupled with the hard line taken by LSU brass when Mathieu's dismissal was announced, puts all of the risk on Miles.

The PR hit would be enormous, and don't discount how much of an impact that makes in the living rooms of potential student-athletes. Parents will ask why a player who supposedly failed multiple drug tests was let back on the team, as they should.

If Miles were to go down that road, he'd be putting a lot of faith in himself, his program, Mathieu and his team.